All is well in our household on this cold, blustery, winter Wednesday. Lots of adjectives to describe all of us being home doing nothing and not gonna do anything this afternoon after school. Babies are bathed and in pajamas and it's only 4:00, but after the long night we had listening to the storm we're staying in tonight. It's "Tornado Season" here in Jackson, Tennessee. I have the bathroom prepared with the snack basket, weather radio, walkie-talkie's, power cord for phones and ipod's, snacks and waters. There are also candles, flashlights, butane lighters and lanterns on the back of the toilet. Several pair of tennis shoes in the sink...if you are prepared for it, it decreases the odds of it happening. So I prepared our 4 x 2 bathroom (it may not even be that big) under the stairs and waited for the sirens. When I woke at 12 am, lots of wind-LOTS but no sirens. Then the rain came after 1 with LOTS more wind, no sirens. I woke again at 3 to check on Trevor's snoring wondering if I had missed the sirens. We were spared after The Weather Channel was broadcasting in Memphis, where they received at least 3 inches of rain in an hour and had prepared us for the worst. No one wants to be a "Cantore's Story". Although we missed the bullet this time, I have seen several broadcasts of other locations that weren't as lucky. Mother Nature can be brutal!
I am trying to emotionally and physically prepare for Trevor's next treatment. He had a check-up last Friday and his chemo doctor recommended him to wait a week to begin the next round of maintenance chemo. He was scheduled to start today, but when Dr. Kauffman said that he wanted to wait I said "Thank You Jesus!". I really did, out loud. I told Kauffman that's what I had been praying for or that he would say Trevor didn't need anymore chemo. Trevor was very upset, he's ready to get it over with and I can understand that but he has been so sick that I told him not to do the last 2 treatments. I "ain't" proud, I'ld quit...He's having him wait because his throat is so irritated, swollen and red. He believes it's from the violent vomiting but if you put it in perspective his throat hasn't had a chance to heal from having his tonsils/adenoids taken out only 2 weeks before we started traveling this whole cancer road.
I'm relieved that Kauffman pushed it back. I know that means it will be later for him to finish but he's just now being able to talk and be understandable or not gag in his mouth while giving one word answers. He is able to talk to his children instead of them looking at him and them talk at him. He has actually been able to play a little basketball with Eli since his season started 3 weeks ago. He has been able to pick Neely up and hug her. I'm not even going to get into the things that I've missed, it gives me the shivers. Anticipation is everything in a marriage! I know he's ready to be done, so am I but our babies need to see their daddy participating in their lives even if it's a week at a time.
So many times I have thought about people in our community that have lost spouses or children after fighting there fight and fighting it with every breath. Trevor and I and Eli and Neely have been so blessed. Trevor isn't battling cancer at this point, he's battling the after affects of chemo. His doctor told him he would be able to work after taking 5 days of chemo...WHAT?! umm, no he can't! I know people do go back to work after they've had and hour of chemo or an afternoon of chemo, maybe not that day but maybe the next week. My man is getting 96 hours of continuous IV chemo of 2 drugs and it has knocked him on his tail. He is easily fatigued and generally has to have a nap in the morning and a nap in the afternoon. He gets up 5-6 times in the night because his mouth is so dry from the chemo.
So he we'll have had an extra 5 days to heal before he starts his second treatment. This maintenance chemo has been so hard on him. Before he left the hospital, his throat had started bleeding from his vomiting. He got home and the sores in his mouth and down his throat started as well as the loss of sensation in some of his fingers and toes. These are all side affects of the chemo drugs, on top of nausea. And if you read the previous post, I'm sure you saw the rant about the weekend nurse not controlling his nausea. We will go to the doctor Friday morning to find out when he is to check in to the hospital next week and I'm going to push for him to begin on Monday and go through Friday. I do not want to have to deal with a weekend nurse that doesn't know his history or won't take the time to read his chart or even will lie to my face. I'm getting fired up just thinking about that haint....When we get our orders, I'm going to ask for specific people to attend to him. He thinks I'm being crazy, but I don't have any problem asking for the best care for him. I do realize he will end up having to work with these people when he goes back, then they better do their job and treat him as if he was signing their check. I know I went too far with that statement, but did you laugh out loud?! I did, that's how adamant I am about his quality of care.
On the flip side of him getting to start his 2nd treatment later, he will be able to watch the Super Bowl. I'm pulling for the Ravens...Go Ray Lewis! Have you seen deer velvet when it comes off, it's bloody and nasty. Someone is going to track a buck wait for it to shed and then wring the velvet out for a hormone?! I'm sure it's more in depth than that but you get the gist of how ridiculous it is. My friend and I were talking about how nursing moms lose baby weight fast, it's hormone related. So if we could get that hormone from lactating mom and sell it, do you understand how silly that sounds...Silly all the way to the bank baby!
Thank you for continually lifting us up in your prayers. We have been blessed with strength and healing through your prayers. My friend "Angie" and I were talking and it seems that just since Trevor's diagnosis there have been so many people in our community that have been diagnosed with this terrible disease. It's heartbreaking that other families are living what we've been living through over the past 6 months. I ask that you would pray daily for one particular family in your community that is going through a rough time whether with illness, finances, deployment or loss. I ask that you would go before our Father with an open heart and ask Him how you can minister to that family, whether food (that's the Southern thing), car pool, match white socks, drag garbage cans to the road, whatever He lays on your heart and that you would be willing to do as He asks. Be prepared because He may have you pray for a family or situation YOU hadn't planned on and He may ask you to do something YOU aren't comfortable doing. But be assured when you follow His will, blessings will abound.
1 John 4:20 "For whoever does not love their brother or sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen."
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